Method for treating fabrics in rope form



A ril 23, 1968 G. E. ZIEGLER ETAL 3,379,494

METHOD FOR TREATING FABRICS IN ROPE FORM Original Filed Oct. 20, 1964 2Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTORfS 650F61 EFMEQ 2/5615? 55 fi a efel' [NA E5 /(/L601/? /0 ATTORNEY Aprifi 23, 1968 Original Filed Oct. 20, 1964 G. E.ZIEGLER ETAL METHOD FOR TREATING FABRICS IN ROPE FORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gw M INVE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,379,494 METHOD FUR TREATINGFABRICS IN ROPE FORM George E. Ziegler, Balloch, Alexandria, and GilbertI. Kilgour, Gartocharn, Scotland, assignors to United Merchants andManufacturers, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Originalapplication Oct. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 405,888, now Patent No. 3,308,639,dated Mar. 14, 1967. Divided and this application Jan. 11, 1967, Ser.No. 630,154 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 24, 1964,3,086/64 6 Claims. (Cl. 8-151.1)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE This document describes a process andapparatus for treating fabric in rope form. The fabric is wound on asupport in loops having a spaced side-by-side relation by conveying anend of the fabric rope around an end of the support and a convolutedguide member and with each conveyance moving a loop previously engagedin a convolution of the guide member away from the rope-end in question.

This is a division of application 'Ser. No. 405,888, filed Oct. 20,1964, and now Patent No. 3,308,639.

This invention relates to method for treating fabrics in rope-like form.This rope-like form of the fabrics, for the sake of brevity, is hereinreferred to as rope form.

The treatment of textile fabrics in rope form by passage through a bathcontaining a scouring, bleaching, dyeing, or other treating medium, isknown. Such apparatus is called a wince or winch machine. As heretoforeconstructed, winch machines were designed for treating the fabric inrope form with the opposite ends of each length of fabric treated,secured together and disposed over the winch roller and the peg rail inthe form of an endless helix, with the lower portions of successiveconvolutions of the helix immersed in the bath of treating liquid. Bothcircular and elliptical winch rollers are known; the particular shape ofroller used depends upon the fabric treated in the winch apparatus.

Winch apparatus as heretofore designed have a number of disadvantages,including the following. Loading of the machine involves a great deal ofhandling of the fabric, often wet fabric, until the whole amount offabric to be treated has been installed over the winch roller and thecooperating peg rail with the two ends joined to form an endless strandwhich can be up to several thousand yards in length. The joining of theends is usually effected by sewing them together. Unless the strandsforming the convolutions are nearly equal in length and under equaltension, in operation of the winch machine involving rotation of thewinch roller, one convolution of the helix may gain at the expense ofthe preceding or following convolution due to slippage between thefabric and the surface of the winch roller, and this even though thewinch roller is covered or surfaced with a nonslip material. The lengthof the fabric constituting a single convolution of the helix may be from20 yards or less to over 120 yards and the bulk of each convolution isat any given time packed in pleated formation along the sloping back andalso along the base of the bath, with a relatively small proportion ofthe fabric situated above the surface or level of the treating liquidforming the bath. The force required to draw the fabric from the closelypacked mass in the bath varies from one convolution to another and alsodepends on the physical form of the fabric, being less for smooth, finefabrics 3,379,494 Patented Apr. 23, 1968 than for rough, coarse fabrics.Variable slippage, i.e., when one convolution of the helix gains inlength at the expense of another, requires larger forces to draw thlonger convolutions of the helix up over the winch roller, with theconsequent result that the whole operating system becomes unstable andentanglement of the convolutions of the fabric in rope form takes place.

Accordingly, winch apparatus as heretofore constructed, requires closeattention by an operator to avoid dyeing defects and mechanical damageto the fabric. For satisfactory operation it is necessary to handle thefabric during its scouring, bleaching and dyeing so that theconvolutions are wound and maintained at approximately equal length.Unless this is done, with some types of fabrics, when slippage occurs,with consequent unequal length of the convolutions of the fabrics inrope form, the desired treatment of scouring, bleaching or dyeing cannotbe carried out and the fabric has to be treated by a multiple strandoperation in which each length of fabric is sewn into a separate loop.Such procedure is, of course, time consuming, wasteful of material andgenerally unsatisfactory.

With the introduction of fabrics made partly or wholly of syntheticfibers, fabric processing temperatures have, in general, increased.Winch machines covered with hoods or supplied with live steam above thetreating liquid are often required for processing such fabrics. In somecases, when dyeing temperatures in excess of C. are required, the winchroller and its ancillary equipment is mounted within a completely closedvessel which can be pressurized. Under such circumstances, it isimportant that the convolutions forming the helix of fabric should beunder control at all times; a departure from correct running with thesuccessive convolutions of substantially the same length, may not beseen or be difficult, if not impossible, to correct without greatinconvenience and risk both to the operator and to the fabric subjectedto treatment.

'It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a method oftreating textile fabrics in rope form in which the disadvantagesaforesaid are obviated or mitigated.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description thereof.

In accordance with this invention a method of treating fabrics in ropeform is provided, in which the fabric in rope form is wound in a helixwith successive convolutions of the helix in side-by-side relation, withthe convolutions exposed to the treating fluid, for example, immersed ina bath of treating liquid or exposed to a steam atmosphere, and thefabric is drawn in rope form through the treating fluid .by unwindingthe helix at its trailing end and compensatingly rewindin'g the helix atits leading end while advancing the successive convolutions in adirection towards the trailing end. Thus the position of the successiveconvolutions of the helix remains constant axially of the winch rollerand the helix is maintained at a constant length with the convolutionsof equal length.

The apparatus for practicing the process of this invention comprises acontainer for the treating fluid which can be steam or any of the knownscouring, bleaching or dyeing baths, a winch roller mounted for rotationand a convolution guide and feed memlber cooperating with the winchroller. F or the sake of brevity this convolution guide and feed memberwill be referred to herein as a guide.

A carrier, desirably in the form of a conveyor chain, is provided towhich the leading end of the fabric is secured and this carrier isconstructed and arranged to be driven in a direction the same as thedirection of rotation of the winch roller and the direction of operationof the guide. In operation, with the leading end of the fabric in ropeform fastened to the carrier, upon its actu'ation, the secured orleading end of the fabric in rope form is moved in an orbital path,winding the fabric in the form of a helix with the convolutions ofsubstantially equal length about the winch roller and the guide. Theconvolutions of the helix or only the lower portion thereof can beexposed to the treating fluid, e.g., immersed in a bath of treatingliquid. After the fabric, in rope form, is thus wound the operationcontinues and the helix unwinds at its trailing end and compensatinglyrewinds at its leading end, the guide being constructed and arranged toadvance the convolutions of the helix along the winch roller in thedirection of the trailing end, in timed relationship with the unwindingand rewinding, so that the position of the helix remains substantiallyconstant axially of the winch roller and the helix is maintained at aconstant length and with its convolutions of equal length.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andshowing, for purposes of exemplification, a preferred form of thisinvention, Without limiting the claimed invention to such illustrativeinstance,

FIGURE 1 is an end view of a winch apparatus embodying this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing the winding of thefabric in rope form in a helix, with the convolutions thereof inside-by-side relation with the lower portions of the convolutionsimmersed in the bath of liquid and the upper portions of theconvolutions disposed above the level of liquid in the bath, and alsoshowing the carrier containing the clamp or finger to which the leadingend of the fabric in rope form is fastened, the winch roller and theguide for simultaneously moving the successive convolutions of the helixin a direction toward the end of the fabric being unwound, i.e., thefree or trailing end of the fabric.

Referring to FIGURE 1, is a tank or container for the treating fluid,such as a bath of treating liquid shown for purposes of exemplificationin FIGURE 1. Container 10 can be any conventional type of containerhaving, in the case of the embodiment shown in the drawings, a slop ingback 1011 and a liquid supply portion 10b separated from the main bodyportion of the bath by a perforated partition or b'aflle 10c. While thetank 10 shown in the drawings is of the open type, a closed tank can beused, designed to maintain the treating fluid at elevated ternper aturesand/or under pressure. The tank 10 can be provided with a pump (notshown) for circulating the treating fluid from the main body portioninto the supply portion 10b for return to the main body portion. Thetreating medium can be any of the known fluids employed in scouring,bleaching or dyeing fabrics.

Suitably mounted on tank 10, on the opposite sides thereof, aresupporting frames I I, in which is jonrnalled for rotation the winchroller 12. The longitudinal axis of winch roller 12 extends in the samedirection as the longitudinal extent of the body of treating liquidtherebelow, shown in FIGURE 2. Spaced from the winch roller 12 and alsoj'ournalled for rotation in the supporting fna'mes l l is a guide 13which, in the embodiment shown, is in the form of a longitudinallyextending spiral member or helical feed screw, containing spinalconvolutions or :flights 13a. A carrier 14 desirably in the form of anendless conveyor chain 14a is positioned at one side of the tank 10 withits lower run 14b disposed above the level of liquid in this tank.

Winch roller 12 shown in the drawings is elliptical in cross-section;however, it can be circular or of any other suitable cross-section.Winch roller 12 is carried by shafts 16 which are journalled forrotation in the supporting frame 11. Guide 1 3 extends parallel to thewinch roller 12, is of the same length as winch roller 12, itslongitudinal axis is parallel .to that of winch roller 12, and, as

4 clearly shown in FIGURE 1, is positioned to one side of and belowwinch roller 12 but above the level 10d of liquid in the tank 10.

Conveyor 14 carries a finger 18 having means such as an eye, hook orclamp 18 for attaching the leading end 5a of the fabric 5 thereto; thisclamp 18 is mounted for swivelling movement on finger 18. In thedrawings conveyor .14 is shown as an endless chain passing around aseries of sprocket wheels 19, 21, 22 and 23 suitably mounted forrotation in supporting frame 11. Conveyor 14 is located in a verticalplane at one end of tank 10 adjacent to one end of the winch roller 12and helical feed screw 13, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The conveyorchain 14:: travels in an orbital path in a vertical plane substantiallyat right angles to the axis of the winch roller |12 immediately adjacentthe left hand end of the winch roller v12 and the guide 13, viewingFIGURES 2 and 3. Conveyor 14 thus comprises upper and lower passesconnected at their ends to provide the endless orbital path of movementadjacent the left hand (viewing FIGURES 2 and 3) ends of the winchroller 12 and guide 1 3. This endless orbital path passes above, beyondand under the outer periphery of the winch roller 12, and under, beyondand above the outer periphery of the guide 13.

Clamp 18' on finger 18.projects from the conveyor, chain 14:: beyond theadjacent end of the winch roller,

12 and beyond the first convolution 13a of the guide 13, as shown inFIGURE 2.

The drive for the winch roller 12, guide 13 and conveyor chain 14aconsists of a motor, not shown, preferably an electric motor, whichdrives the winchv roller 12.

The winch roller shaft. 16 drives the input shaft 24 of an infinitelyvariable gear box 25 through a chain and sprocket wheel drive generallyindicated at 26. The gear box 25 has an output shaft 27 which drives theguide 13 through a chain and sprocket wheel drive 28. The

shaft 27 also drives the sprocket wheel 23 of the conveyor chain 14athrough a chain and sprocket wheel drive 31 and a sleeve 32 fixed to thesprocket wheel 23.

In operation, the leading end 5a of the fabric is attached to the finger18 and the batch of fabric is placed in the tank 10. The motor is thenstarted and the winch roller 12, guide 13 and finger 18 are driven inthe same direction, which is indicated by the arrows A in FIGURES 1 and3. During the first revolution of finger 18 around the path of chain 14,a length of fabric in rope form is drawn over the guide 13, over thewinch roller 12, partly around and below the latter and below the guide13 back to the initial position of the finger 18. This winding of thefabric continues, at the same time the winch roller 12.

feeds the fabric down into the bath where it forms pleats 5b in eachconvolution of the fabric which is thus wound substantially in the formof a helix with each convolution extending around guide 13, winch roller12 and through the bath in tank 101, as best shown in FIGURE 3. At thesame time the guide 13 advances each convolution of the fabric as theconvolution is formed and the convolutions already formed in a directionaway from the conveyor 14, that is, towards the trailing end of thefabric helix in a direction of the arrow B in FIGURE 3. Thus the fabricis wound into a helix with a relatively short end length of fabric 5c,FIGURE 3, at the trailing end of the With the winch apparatus thusloaded and with treating liquid in the bath, and the speed of rotationof the winch roller 12, guide 13 and conveyor chain 14- selected to givethe desired length and spacing of the successive convolutions of thehelix for the particular treating operation to be carried out, as theoperation continues the fabric is continuously drawn through its helicalpath,

the helix unwinding at its trailing end 50 and rewinding at its leadingend 5a with the convolutions being advanced towards the trailing end 50by the helical guide 13 in 1 timed relation with the unwinding andrewinding, so that the position of the fabric helix remainssubstantially constant axially of the winch roller 12, and the helix ismaintained at a constant length with its convolutions of equal length.

The following example of the practice of the process of this inventionis given without, however, limiting the invention to this example. Thisexample involved the dyeing of a polyester-cotton fabric, 1100 yards inlength, in the wet state, in the winch apparatus shown in the drawings.The winch roller 12 was 72 inches in circumference and was driven at 36r.p.m. giving a fabric speed of 72 yards per minute. The finger 18 madeone complete revolution per minute and the helical feed screw or guide13 also made one revolution per minute. When loading was completefifteen convolutions were formed with a free end of approximately 20yards extending beyond the last convolution. Successive baths wereemployed; one for scouring with a solvent detergent mixture; another forbleaching with hypochlorite solution; and a third for dyeing withdispersed and direct cotton dyestuffs. These operations were carried outon this fabric without appreciable variation in the length of thecon-volutions of the helix and with the successive convolutions of thehelix of equal length throughout the operation of the equipment.

By increasing or decreasing the speed of movement of the finger 18relative to the speed of rotation of the winch roller 12 by suitableadjustment of the gear ratio in gear box 25, the length of eachconvolution of the fabric helix can be correspondingly increased ordecreased. The speed of movement of the finger 18 and the rate ofrotation of the guide 13 should be regulated relative to that of thesurface speed of the winch roller 12 to produce successive convolutionsof the desired length. In operation, the relative rates of rotation ofthe Winch roller 12 and the helical guide 13 to the rate of movement inits orbital path of the finger 18 should be maintained substantiallyconstant for any chosen treatment of the fabric once the treatment iscommenced. It will be appreciated, however, that other drive mechanismscan be used and the invention is not limited to the drive disclosed inwhich the gear box is driven from the drive for the winch roller.

Instead of the helical feed screw guide 13 other forms of feed for thesuccessive convolutions of the helix can be used, for example, acomb-like device through which the fabric convolutions pass and which ismoved periodically axially of the winch roller to advance the successiveconvolutions of the helix, then releases these convolutions and returnsand picks up the convolutions to repeat the movement can be used insteadof the helical feed screw guide.

It will be noted the present invention obviates or mitigates thedisadvantages of prior known winch apparatus. In the present inventiononce the leading end of the fabric has been attached to the finger 18,no further handling of the fabric is normally necessary to effect theloading. Once loaded the apparatus requires little or no attention untilthe whole series of scouring, bleaching, dyeing and other operationscarried out on the fabric, have been completed.

The length of the fabric convolutions can be adjusted exteriorly of thetank 10. For example, this can be accomplished simply by a suitableadjustment of the gear box to change the relative speeds of movement ofthe finger 18 and guide 13 with respect to the speed of rotation of thewinch roller 12 thus adjusting the length of each convolution.

Moreover, the present invention eliminates the necessity for connectingthe ends of the fabric to form, as was heretofore the practice, anendless helix wound on the winch roller and the cooperating peg rail.

In the operation of the winch apparatus of this invention tension on thefabric is reduced. There is greater uniformity of treatment throughoutthe fabric because the fabric to liquid ratio is substantially constantthroughout the full length of the helix. The present inventionminimizes, if not completely eliminates, the possibility of mechanicaldamage to delicate fabrics or of the convolutions of a helix becomingentangled during treatment of the fabric in the treating liquids in tank10.

Since certain changes in the winch apparaus herein described or incarrying out the process involved in the use of this apparatus, whichprocess and apparatus embody this invention, can be made withoutdeparting from the scope of this invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above descripion or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

What is claimed is:

1. The process of treating fabrics in rope form, which process comprisesestablishing a bath of treating liquid, fastening one end of the fabricin rope form to a conveyor and moving said conveyor to move saidfastened end in an orbital path at one end of the bath of liquid to windthe fabric rope on a support in successive side-by-side fabricconvolutions, the lower portions of said convolutions being immersed inthe bath of liquid and the upper portions of said convolutions beingpositioned in the space above the level of liquid in said bath, anddrawing the fabric through the bath of liquid by rotating said supportand simultaneously moving the successive fabric convolutions in adirection away from said fastened end of the fabric in timed relationwith the movement of said fastened end in said orbital path.

2. A process for treating a fabric in rope form wherein said fabric isdisposed on an elongated support as a helix composed of a series offabric convolutions of fabric rope in spaced side-by-side relationshipto each other along the support, and the support is rotated fortreatment of the fabric, which comprises conveying an end of the fabricrope in an orbital path around said support and an adjacent elongatedconvoluted guide member to place said fabric rope within a convolutionon said guide member, and, in timed relation with each orbit of saidend, moving the convolution of said guide member away from said fastenedend a distance sufiicient to create and maintain said spacedside-by-side relationship.

3. A process according to claim 2 in which treatment of the fabric isaccomplished by exposing at least the lower portions of said fabricconvolutions to a treating fluid.

4. A process according to claim 3 in which the lower portions of thefabric convolutions are immersed in a treating liquid and rotation ofthe support draws the fabric rope through the treating liquid.

5. A process according to claim 3 in which the treatment is atsuperatmospheric pressure and rotation of the support unfolds folds offabric rope at the lower portions of said fabric convolutions forexposure of the fabric rope to the treating fluid.

6. The process of treating fabrics in rope form, which comprises:

(A) forming said fabric rope into an essentially horizontally disposedhelix having a plurality of spaced side-by-side convolutions by (l)fastening an end of said fabric rope to a conveyor at one end of atreating chamber;

(2) moving said conveyor and said end in an orbital path which enclosesthe ends of an elongated rotatable support for said helix and anelongated screw parallel to and coextensive with said support;

(3) rotating said support and said screw in timed relation with theorbital movement of said fastened end;

(4) whereby a fabric convolution is engaged in a flight of said screwand draped over said support and, as said orbital movement continues,the rotation of said screw moves its engaged fabric convolution awayfrom said fastened end, leaving a flight without a fabric convolutionnear said fastened end to engage a fabric convolution successivelyformed by a successive orbit of said fastened end; and

(5) continuing said rotation and movement until all of the fabric isformed into a helix;

(B) introducing a treating fluid into contact with at least the lowerportion of the thus-formed fabric convolutions,

(C) continuing to convey said fastened end in an orbital path aroundsaid support and said screw to continually place fabric rope within aflight of said screw,

(D) continuing said rotation of said screw to continually move eachconvolution away from said fastened end 1 and provide an unengagedflight near said fastened References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1931Bronander 68-177 7/1954 Cramer et al. 68--176 WILLIAM I. PRICE, PrimaryExaminer.

Notice of Adverse Decisions in Interferences In Interference No. 96,760involving Patent No. 3,37 9,494, G. E. Ziegler and G. I. Kilgour, METHODFOR TREATING FABRICS IN ROPE FORM, final judgment adverse to thepatentees was rendered Apr. 30, 1973, asboclaims 1, 2, 3,4and 6. V

[Ofiicz'al Gazette October 23,1973

